Photographic camera.



J. E. THORNTON.

PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1902.

948,939. Patented Feb. 8,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1 WITNESSES. INVENTOR.

LETHORNT N.

PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15,1902.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

INVEN TOR.

WITNESSES. I

FIG. 5.

J. E. THORNTON.

PHOTOGRAIBHIG CAMERA. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.15, 1902.

94:8, 939, Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Q I N K) 6 [j WITNESSES. i 4 INVENTOR.

J. E. THORNTON.

PHOTOGRAPHIU CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1902.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES. M

UNITED STATES PATENT orrioE.

JOHN E. THORNTON, OF ALTRINCHAM, ENGLAND.

PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN EDWARD THORN- TON, a British subject, andresident of Altrincham, in the county of Chester, England, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Photographic Cameras, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to photographic cameras, and is designed with afour fold object, viz :1. To improve the design of cameras, so as toadmit of cheaper construction and more rapid production, and also toreduce the number of parts and cost of assembling. 2. To so improve thedesign and shape of the principal parts, and method of construction, asto allow the attainment of a nicely finished exterior in a directmanner, without expensive hand labor, covering, and finishing. 3. Toimprove the design and construction in order that very compact foldingapparatus, of neat finish, and possessing every convenience, may becheaply produced. 4. To effect minor improvements, including the findersystem, and other features of utility.

Hitherto the bodies of cameras have been made of wood, metal, cardboard,or similar materials, and the methods of manufacture adopted, the designof the parts, and the necessity for light-tight joints, involved theconstruction of a. large number of parts, which had to be carefullyassembled and finished by skilled workers. In manufacturing my cameras,I prefer to use sheet metal, such as tinplate or aluminium, thoughcardboard and other materials might be used in part if preferred.

Owing to the design and construction adopted by me, I am enabled toreduce the number of parts, and consequently the cost and labor, veryconsiderably. For instance I can form the camera body out of one blankwhich, after being stamped by dies to the correct size and shape, isthen bent up by forming tools till the finished body is produced. Allthe necessary flanges or rabbets for excluding light and receiving theother parts of the camera are included in the body thus formed at thesame operation.

The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings Figure 1. is a perspective view of box hand camera constructedaccording to my invention. Fig. 2. extended blank of sheet metal orcardboard, from which the box or body Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 15, 1902.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

Serial No. 123,523.

of the camera is constructed. Fig. 3. longitudinal sectional elevationof box or body of camera. F ig. 4. front elevation of same. Fig. 5.plan. Fig. 6. longitudinal sectional elevation of box or body of camerashowing a modification. Fig. 7. transverse section of same. Fig. 8. sideelevation partly in section of folding hand camera with front extended.Fig. 9. modified detail for securing the bellows to body. Fig. 10.detail showing another modification of means for securing bellows tobody. F 11. sectio-nal detail showing another modification forconstruction of body of folding camera. Fig. 12. sectional detail ofanother modification of body of folding camera.

In carrying out the invention, I take a sheet A of metal, cardboard orother stiff material, and stamp it out to the form shown in Fig. 2, withlongitudinal creases along the lines a a, and transverse creases alongthe lines a/ a, and (E -a The blank A so stamped is bent around arectangular block of corresponding size, into a rectangular frame ortube, the edges being formed by a lap joint. or equivalent means. Thisis the camera body B, which may be of the size for a box camera as inFigs. 1 and 3., or for a folding camera as in Figs. 8 to 12. The fourend extensions Z2 (at both ends) are severed by the slits Z)", and arecreased along the lines aca. After the blank A is stamped intorectangular form the extension pieces b are turned or bent inward uponthe lines aa, so that the part between a and (4 lies flatagainst theinterior of the case, and the extension pieces are then bent bacxwardagain at right angles thereto on the lines a a thereby forming aperfectly light-tight flange G at both ends of the camera at any desireddistance, say from one half inch to one inch from the edges. The flangeC forms the edges of a recess or chamber D D" at both ends of the camerabody B, and also gives the requisite stift ness to the structure. Theback recess or chamber D is intended to receive the sensitive materialholder, comprised in a package of flat films, a roll holder and spools,or a plate holder and plate, either of which form of holder fits closelyinto the recess or chamber D, and the light-tight flange C preventslight entering through the edges.

The front recess or chamber I) will receive the complete optical systemmounted upon a board E, and in a camera of the folding type, willreceive the base board F, front G, the optical system, and the bellowsH.

In a modification where the structure B is made of very thin or weakmaterial, it may be strengthened by an inner lining of thick stiffcardboard or leather board B (Figs. 6 and 7), inserted behind theflanges C. It is bent at the corners on a bending machine, and cut sothat the two edges butt together at B the card being sprung tightly intothe interior of the rectangular case, before the flanges C are turnedinward. The flanges C butt against the ends, and as its tendency is tospring outward, it holds firmly without any cement.

\Vhere it is intended specially to employ a detachable holder for thesensitized material, such as a flat pack of films or a plate holder orroll holder, one of the back exterior pieces is cut rather shorter andslitted down a little farther, so that when turned over, the top edgewill be a little shorter at than the other three, to provide access tothe film tabs or to pull out the shutter. Holes 6 6* may also be cut inthe blank for the view finder, or they may be stamped after the body isconstructed.

The camera shown in Fig. l is a box camera of the simplest possibletype. The recessed flanges C and recesses or chambers D D are formed atthe two ends as described. The front recess D may conveniently be oneinch deep, and in itis placed a block E of thick but very light wood,which completely fills the recess. A hole is bored through the center toreceive the lens, and on the front face is mounted a shutter K of anyknown type for controlling the passage of light through the lens. Theshutter levers 7c, the diaphragm plate K and the whole optical systemare attached to the block E, also the view finder L which may be anydesired type. Thus the whole of the optical system, complete and readyassembled, is placed in front of, but close against, the front flange,and a light-tight joint is at once effected without grooves, velvet,cement, or the careful fitting and hand labor necessary in allconstructions hitherto known. Suitable apertures b b for the finders L,shutter levers 7a, diaphragm lever is, focusing device, and othermechanism, are made in the camera body, but all are placed forward ofthis flange, so that any light entering at the apertures is excludedfrom the camera and sensitive plate.

A camera of the folding or pocket type is made from the same design andmethod of construction, as shown in Figs. 8 to 12, the rectangular tubeor body 13 being reduced to the desired length to accommodate thesensitive material holder at the back, and the bellows and opticalsystem at the front.

The back and front flanges C will preferably come close together and maybe utilized to form a perfectly secure and light-tight connection forthe edges of the bellows H by gripping them between the flanges. Thelast fold it of the bellows H may be simply clamped between the flangesas in Fig. 8, or a groove or rib it may be formed as in Fig. 9, or oneflange may be turned around over the other as in Fig. 10, the four sidesof one flange being made extra long for the purpose. This can be done ina few seconds by hand or by suitable press tools. The bel lows is thusabsolutely secured, and the frame or body is stiffened enormously inproportion to the thickness of material used. For larger sized camerasthe bodies may be further stiffened by forming a space or cavity N whenturning in the sides to form the flanges as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, astiffening rib a being also shown in Fig. 12.

The metal plates of which the body is made, are, before stamping,suitably decorated or finished by printing, embossing, or otherwisetreating the surface in such a manner as to closely resemble the leathercoverings generally used in finishing cameras. Similarly imitations ofpolished mahogany or other materials may be used if preferred. The pointis that by decorating or finishing the plates before stamping andcreasing, and then by using the special design and construction hereindescribed, which permits of the whole being formed out of one blank, itis possible to produce a well-finished completed camera without showingobjectionable marks, joints, or seams, and without any raw edges ofmetal, as by turning over the metal in the way de scribed all edges seenby the user are decorated ones. Moreover, that portion of the interiorof the camera body which is seen when in use is also decorated in likemanner at the same operation. Another important feature is the greatrigidity, combined with extreme lightness, rendered pos sible by thesystem, owing to the internal flanges and double thickness of materialforming parts of the body. As the size of camera increases the value ofthis feature becomes more pronounced, and it is therefore now possibleto make metal cameras of comparatively large size, such as were hithertoimpracticable, because the constructions hitherto known proved too heavywhen made strong enough, and also too expensive. By my invention Iovercome these objections as I use very thin sheet aluminium, or tinned)lates, such as would be far too weak and 'rail if used in singlethickness. Thus a camera with cavity walls is produced, of exceedinglightness, great rigidity, and properly finished, both inside and out,without the usual expensive leather covering or the difliculties ofsecuring its permanent adhesion to the metal. The baseboard and otherparts may be built up in like manner. The stiffness can be still furtherincreased if necessary by the insertion of slips of WOOCl, cardboard, orother light and unfinished material, in the cavity Walls.

Cameras constructed as described can be produced at a low cost, becausenearly the Whole of the Work is machine Work, the several parts beingproduced and completed direct from the previously decorated plates,simply by the aid of press tools and kindred appliances. Therefore Whilethe finished article is produced at a greatly reduced cost the generalutility of the instrument remains unimpaired.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to protect by Letters Patent isr- 1. A camera constructed With a body stamped from a single blank,internal flanges at both ends to form a recess at one end to receive theholder of the sensitive material and to form a recess at the other end,and an optical system fitted into the frontrecess substantially asdescribed.

2. A camera constructed With a body stamped froma single blank of sheetmaterial internal flanges at both ends formed of extended portions bentinward and at right angles, to provide a recess at the back to receivethe holder of sensitive material and to provide a recess at front, ablock fitted into the front recess and an optical system fitted to thesaid block substantially as described.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

J. E. THORNTON. lVitnesses:

J. OWDEN OBRIEN, B. TATHAM WVooDHEAD.

